I am just wondering, if someone crank a cold om61x engine like a normal petrol engine without letting the glow-plugs to do their job, will it be harmful or deadly for the little OM61x? The reason I have this question is because I have seen those big trucks and locomotive doing a cold start and they doesn't seem to have a glow-plug system... Instead they have some sort of a "heated air intake"? ( I am not sure), and seems that's a lot slower than a glow-plug system. For sure that's bad for the starter but what else could go wrong because of this? Thanks! : )
The trucks that you are referring to are direct injection and have no pre-chamber or glow plugs. They start this way but require a longer cranking and warm up time than our diesels.
If you try to start glow plugged engines with out using them, you are likely to flood the engine drain the battery and destroy the starter motor. And then still it may not start.
The Toyota 2H N/A indirect engine had six pencil-type glow plugs. By contrast, the related 12HT turbocharged direct injection engine didn't have glow plugs; instead, it had an electric heat element which looks like a radiator, between the air filter and the cylinder head.
It shouldn't cause any damage, it only makes for a lot of cranking assuming it actually starts. It should not flood the engine considering its a diesel; so there is not a specific air to fuel ratio.
Personally, I usually glow for a few seconds even when the engines warm simply because I like it to start on the first rotation.
It just wears down your battery and starter faster, same as if you only have one or two working glow plugs or a dead glow plug relay. It won't damage the engine itself.
I have done it many times especially if the weather is nice out. Once the temps get down below 30 then I would have to glow it. Under 9 degrees I would glow it twice
If your engine is in decent shape compression wise, it will start without glowing
You probably won't hurt anything right away by cranking without glowing but it's not a great habit to get into. The glow plugs are easier and cheaper to replace than the starter and battery in the long run.
The heated air intake you speak of is commonly known as a grid heater. They're common on Dodge trucks with the Cummins engine as well as some others.
At least on Trucks; Direct Injection Diesel also have Injectors that usually have 4 or more Holes in the Nozzle Tips that atomize the Fuel better and the lowest nozzle opening/pop pressures are higher than the ones on Mercedes.
I can remember back in the 1970s there was an Engine made by Mack Truck called a Maxadine. The opening/pop pressure on the Nozzles was 5000 psi.
There is also Either (Starting Fluid) setups for winter starting of Indirect Injection Engines and some have Compression Releases.
Some Trucks have Air Starters.
Once the Engine is Started Truckers generally keep it going to the end of the Run unless they have to stop and Sleep somewhere.
Again back in the 1970s neither Detroit Diesels or the Cummins that were in most of the Trucks had any Cold Starting aid I can remember seeing on the Trucks and no Glow Plugs.
Oh dear thanks for answering my question. I asked this question because I am not very familiar with the big truck's engine, and I've watched some videos where some people try to start their cold pick-up truck in winter on youtube...etc. So out of curiosity I asked! haha, thanks for answering! For sure I will not do that to my baby : )
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